Day 144

Not sure what happened with the Nike +, but it didn't record my workout for some reason. I got up early and ran before heading to the mountains. Since I planned on skiing, I didn't push too hard.

1.32mi
14:00min
2.0 incline

Day 143

Nothing happening today, and I was tempted to run longer today, but I want to get a run in tomorrow morning before we go skiing, so I decided to limit things.

Day 142

With karate coming, I decided to take it easy. I had a nice run, and the knee didn't bother me.

Day 141

Had to really rush this one in after I skipped it at lunch.

Day 140

Lunchtime run, in a bit of a hurry to meet someone, but I had a good run anyway.

Day 139

A short one with karate tonight and horses to feed.

Motivating Myself

Some days I run to get stronger, I push myself, I have a specific goal.

Some days I run as a release, remove stress, work the body, knowing I'll feel better.

Some days I run just because I have a streak.

I was worried about running on my trip to the UK, especially the travel days. Anytime I'm out of my routine, I worry about how and when I'll get things done. Running on the trip over was a challenge when my flight got canceled and I was stranded in Chicago. On the way back, I had a 9am flight out of Heathrow, getting in around 7:30pm Denver time. That means that I'd get up at 6, or that's when I had a wake up call scheduled, was going to try and run, but if I didn't, 21 hours later I'd be home and could run then.

Or would I?

Flying all across the world and then trying to run was a recipe for disaster. I had planned on packing a shirt and deodorant in my bag so I could run in DC when I had a layover, but that was iffy.

So after tossing and turning, my internal clock still a mess, I got up at 5:36, shook off some tiredness, walked downstairs and was running by 5:41.

I'm proud of myself for getting up and moving, something that most people might not do, and I was tempted not to do myself. I'll still pack a shirt since you never know what could go wrong, but I'm confident that I'll figure out a way around it.

Day 138

Even though Nike+ shows Monday the 26th, it's actually a Sunday run. My last run was 5:45am on Saturday in Heathrow, today it was 5:00 in Denver, which is midnight in London. I forgot to reset my time on the computer.

This was a bit of a struggle as I had a big burrito at 2:30 and still felt full when I started running. I noticed that the Nano was a bit behind the treadmill here. I need to recalibrate things here again and see how far off the treadmill is.

Day 137

Yesterday's concern wasn't needed. I ended up getting to the hotel by Heathrow with plenty of time to run and they had nice, new LifeFitness treadmills. I was worried about things this morning, having an early cab to the airport, so I was up at 5:30, running at 5.45.

Day 136

A quick one this morning before leaving the hotel. I'm heading to London tonight and wasn't sure I'd have a treadmill or time to run. Especially with it raining pretty good outside.

1.08mi, 11:48min

I meant to run more, but I accidently popped the headphones out and then stopped the run on the Nano before I realized it. Rather than starting it up, I decided to head out since I was already late for work.

Day 135

I actually ran last night, but I had to rush out the door right afterwards for a lecture and then didn't want to buy another 24 hours of Internet since I was leaving in the am and posting this was all I had to do.

I felt pretty good, running faster than I have in any of the other Nike + runs I've tracked.

1.72 miles

20 minutes

Nike Plus

I heard about the Nike + system early in my running streak and set myself a goal that I wouldn't buy one until I hit day 100. Then at day 100 I decided that I was doing OK and didn't need it. It took a trip to England, where I wasn't sure I'd find a treadmill or be able to map things to get me motivated. So one day I went to Sports Authority and bought some new Nike Pegasus 25 running shoes, which I needed, and a Nike+ system. Then I hit Best Buy for a new iPod Nano to go with them. I'm writing about it, experimenting, and so it was a good business expense for me.

The system consists of a small sensor that fits in your shoe. There's a space underneath the liner in some Nike shoes, but there's also a $5 or $9 pouch you can attach to the laces of any other shoe. I figured I needed new shoes, so I'd get some Nikes.

From there you have two choices. There's a wristband and USB sensor that receives information, or you can use a Nano or iPod Touch, 2nd Generation. My iTouch is the first generation, so I grabbed a new Nano. It's small and there's a small sensor that plugs into the docking port on the bottom. I was slightly worried about it coming out, but it's proven secure.

Once you plug that in, you see a Nike+ option on your menu in which you can choose workouts and music to go with them. You do need playlists, as you can't just pick songs, so I learned the hard way one time that I needed a playlist to do a workout.

As you run, the pace, time, speed, and calories are recorded and then when you sync you iPod with iTunes, it automatically sends information to NikePlus so you can track your progress. It gets loaded up there and I usually grab the code to put that workout onto this blog. However it's also on the Nike+ site.

Do I like it?

I do. It's handy, and in places where there isn't a treadmil, or worse, the treadmill doesn't register well, it allows me to track progress. Not that I'm concerned about how far or fast I go (other than meeting the mile), I do like knowing. It's motivating, and fun.

The downsides? It's a little expensive, not the sensor ($29), and Nike+ is free as a site, but the iPod if you don't have one is $150 or more. I don't know how closely it registers. I calibrated the sensor, but it seemed a little fast to me based on my treadmill. It matched up pretty well, slightly behind the newer LifeFitness treadmill in the UK.

Overall I'm pleased and I'd recommend it to anyone that wants to track runs and likes the technology. It works well and simply, and I don't have to mess around to get my data recorded.

Day 134

I had a longer run, but was slightly more annoyed. There are only two treadmills that you can run on and both were in use for about 15 minutes while I stretched and waited. Finally one came free, the Precor that is old and doesn't work well, but I jumped on it. I wanted to get done before it was too late.

I went for 20, 10 with no incline before I realized it and raised it to 1. I was cruising, not wanting to slow myself too much.

1.91mi

20:00min

306 calories

Day 133

I had to hurry this one. Between people on the treadmill ahead of me and only 45 minutes between the end of work and dinner, I had to shorten things.

Day 132

A long day, flying over the Atlantic last night, little sleep, working all day, and then a run before dinner. The treadmill was a wreck and I'm glad I had the Nike Plus otherwise it wouldn't have been possible, or easy to guess my distance.

1.8mi
20min
2.0 incline

Making Do On The Road

No suitcase, no change of clothes, stuck at an airport hotel with no toiletries, but I knew I needed to run this morning. I have a 4pm flight, will fly all night and there's no time to do much else. My flight was cancelled last night, so I was stuck in Chicago and they wouldn't release my bag.

I suppose I could have searched for toiletries at the airport and then jogged lightly around the airport, but I decided to hit the treadmill here in the hotel first thing. I stripped off my shirt, since I don't have another one right now, ran in my Merrills and jeans, taking a slow jog.

I got through it and immediately got back to my room and stripped everything off the minimize the sweat. I had time, so I washed the socks in the sink with soap to minimize the smell of flying all night. I only did it because I had a hair dryer in my room. So after washing, I stood there, blow drying my socks. They got mostly dry, so I went to breakfast, no socks, and then came back to do more blow drying.

Day 131

Not quite what I expected, first my flight is cancelled and then I'm in a hotel in Chicago instead of Cambridge, UK. Still I ran.

1.2mi

15:00min

0.0incline

Day 130

Up and running before my flight to London. Not a long one since I still need to pack things.

1.36mi
15:00min
256cal

The sensor was slightly ahead of my today, so I still need to do some calibrating, but it's much closer. 1.38mi instead of my 1.36. Seems like the start and warm up are slow to match up with my pace.

Day 129

1.73mi
18:00min
325cal
1.5 incline

Lowered the incline and went a little longer, trying different speeds to test out the Nike+ sensor. Did a couple of pyramids up to 7.5mph.

After this calibrated the sensor with a .25mi walk and a .25mi run.

Day 128

Sore legs, so I lowered the incline slightly.

1.7 mi
17:00 min
300 cal
1.5 incline

This was my first run with new shoes and the Nike+ system. The iPod didn't seem to register the walking at the correct rate, but running seemed OK on the pace. It showed 1.47mi, 17min, 243cal at Nike Plus. I'll have to try some other treadmills and a track somewhere to see what might be mis-calibrated.

Day 127

A short one with karate tonight.

1.3mi
14:00min
254cal
2.0 incline

Day 126

In and around podcasting for work, I got in a medium run. Felt good.

1.39mi
16:00min
271 cal
2.0 incline

Day 125

Snow has let up, so a short one with karate tonight.

1.39mi
15:00min
271cal
2.0 incline

Day 124

I took the kids to the Apex Center, a great pool up north at one of the Jefferson County rec centers. While they were swimming, I ran on the treadmill and watched some NFL. Watching football definitely made the run easier and I need to figure out if I can get our TiVo to broadcast by our treadmill.

A nice run

1.87mi
20:00min
1.5 incline

Day 123

1.78mi
20 min
390cal
2.0 incline

A nice jog

Day 122

After a half day skiing, with a slightly sore neck, I kind of jogged through this one.

1.51mi
17:00min
297cal
2.0 incline

Day 121

Ate too much at lunch, still full as we're ready to leave for karate. Stuck a quick run in.

1.2mi
13:00min
235cal
2.0 incline

Day 120

I was going to run tonight while Delaney was at karate, but Kendall's coming and we have errands, so I hit the treadmill this afternoon.
1.33mi
14:00min
260cal
2.0incline
Moved the cho-pat strip to the left knee for a few days, see if it helps.

Seventeen Weeks

It doesn't sound like a long time when you write it in weeks, but today was day 119 of my running streak.

I feel OK, a sore knee, slightly tweaked ankle, and struggling after going back to karate last night. This is definitely a bit of a lull for the running streak as I struggle to get down here the last few days and run.

It might be a let down after last week when I had two runs outside, and the week before when I stretched to some 2 milers, but in any case, I don't hate it and I'll keep pushing.

I haven't tracked my totals in a few weeks and don't really want to dig in and do them now, but it seems that I've been averaging about 10.5 miles a week, so I'd be about 170+ miles since September, which is pretty good. Not sure if that's a record in my life since I ran a pretty good amount in college when training for a marathon and I've had lots of weeks where I ran 15-20 miles a week, but I don't know if I've kept it up for this long.

In any case, I feel good overall, and feel stronger in my lungs. The weight hasn't gone way down, but I think that's a function of not great eating, especially with travel and the holidays. I do feel proud I've managed to get this far and to get runs in around snowboarding. Those days are a challenge, but for now I think I could maintain this for another 17 weeks.

Day 119

Definitely sore from karate, but mostly the upper body. Add to that a neck that started to stiffen and a cold basement and I wasn't really interested in going too far.

1.4mi
15:00min
274cal
2.0 incline

Trying to lift right now.

Day 118

I felt better today and the run was good, though I struggled through the first 5-6 minutes trying to get into a groove. I need to find my cho-pat strap as it's been 4 or 5 days without it and I am starting to feel it.

1.4mi
15:00min
274cal
2.0 incline

Karate starts back tonight, so I didn't want to get too crazy.

Setting New Limits

I’ve had a sore knee for a few weeks and recently I was talking with my Mom and, of course, she was worried. She asked me how I was doing, how it felt, etc. and I replied fine. I mean, what else can you tell your Mom?

I did tell her that I felt old, which sounded silly as soon as it came out of my mouth. I mean, how do you complain to your Mom that you’re getting old?

In any case, as I talked through it a bit with her, we agreed that you have to slow down as you get older. She’s not an athlete, but she has had a yoga-like routine that she did every morning for years and has had to change slightly. In my case, I’ve had to re-think how I exercise, especially with a bad neck as I age.

I think we can keep going, and keep strong, perhaps improve some areas of our performance as we age. Certainly we should be smarter, and be able to concentrate better. I think some of the older body builders have more discipline as they age, which is why they get great results.

I’m not in that category, but I have gotten better at some things. Running every day, running smarter, it’s something I couldn’t have done 20 years ago. I’d have pushed too hard on my body, running to a good sweat, but breaking things down. I’ve always pushed a bit hard, and then 3, 6, 9 weeks in, I need a break.

I could probably get back down to a 22min 5K, but I think I’d be hurting myself a bit and I’d damage some of my body in doing so. I don’t want to do that, I want to get my body in great shape, at this point in my life.

That means setting new limits and goals based on where I am now, not where I was 20 years ago.

Day 117

1.27mi
14:00min
251 cal
2.0 incline

Legs a little sore after snowboarding yesterday.

Day 116

We're going to Copper Mountain today, and I was the first one up, so I decided to get a run in before we go this time. Running at 7am was a bit of a struggle. No water, hungry, moved a little slower.

1.26mi
14 min
247cal
2.0 incline

Day 115

Back on the treadmill with a windy day outside.

1.4mi
15:00min
271 cal
2.0 incline

Day 114

Another outside run with 50F weather, but a little more wind. I had to wear a long sleeve shirt and sweats, and it wasn't as much fun, but still nice to be outside. Tia rode at Hidden Mesa with Kendall and I jogged while Delaney rode his bike.

1.23mi (guess from MapMyRun)
24:30 (including 2:30 of warm up/cool down)

The Hidden Mesa trailhead isn't on the map, but I guessed and since I ran for 22:00min, I figured I did a mile. I might have been closer to 2mi overall